Boots Riley says international markets won’t show Sorry To Bother You

“Distributors r claiming ‘black movies’ don’t do well internationally and r treating it as such”

August 06, 2018
Boots Riley says international markets won’t show <I>Sorry To Bother You</i> Boots Riley and Lakeith Stanfield from the cast of Sorry To Bother You visit The IMDb Show on May 30, 2018 in Studio City, California.   Rich Polk/Getty

Director Boots Riley's Sorry To Bother You is one of the year's most critically-revered movies, a surreal and comic satire of corporate culture starring Lakeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson. The movie opened in North America in July and, naturally, film buffs overseas are keen to know when they will get the chance to check it out.

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However, the movie does not currently have a release date overseas and Riley has suggested things will stay that way. "distributors r claiming "Black movies" dont do well internationally and r treating it as such," Riley tweeted on August 4, in response to people asking him about international distribution. "There'r films that bombed here, that theyr distributing."


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The Sorry To Bother You soundtrack is streaming now. Led by Riley's hip-hop group The Coup, the nine-track project features the film's star Lakeith Stanfield, Janelle Monae, Tune-Yards, Killer Mike, and E-40. Read FADER's interview with Boots Riley about his directorial debut here.

Boots Riley says international markets won’t show Sorry To Bother You